University funding and finances
Coalition agreement involves major cuts to research and university funding alongside harsh new measures for students
While administrators, faculty, students and police get main attention in protests, those paying the bills – especially in wealthier families – pursue more decisive roles
Shadow education secretary puts focus on tweaking student finance and encouraging knowledge exchange as election looms
Plans to move University Post to intranet amid cost-cutting criticised by journalists
Universities are struggling financially amid frozen domestic fees and growing political hostility to international students. But while the public finances are stretched, July’s general election could allow a policy reset. In the second of two articles (read part one here), three senior figures suggest what a new government might realistically do
While offering no assurances over her party’s stance on forthcoming legislation, shadow education minister is a ‘big fan’ of preparatory courses
Deep financial dive at top US medical school found less money than expected and leaves some faculty feeling their research accounts were raided to fill gaps
Universities are struggling financially amid frozen domestic fees and growing political hostility to international students. But while the public finances are stretched, July’s general election could allow a policy reset. In the first of two articles (part two here), four senior figures suggest what a new government might realistically do
Forty jobs set to go at university
Canberra should not stifle university revenue while unrolling expensive equity reforms, says implementation committee member
Ahead of proposed enrolment caps, foreign earnings fail to prevent a slide further into the red
Nation’s historically high level of shutdowns and consolidations overwhelmingly remains a private-sector malady, but states showing signs that old certainties may fall away
Figures indicate limited scope for growth in international enrolments, as administrators strive to balance the books
Will waning power of Scottish National Party fracture the consensus around one of its most closely guarded policies?
Chief executive of farm company hands historic black college stock he says is worth $237 million but experts believe its real value could be far less
OfS says hopes that English university finances will recover in next few years appear optimistic, as they are based on forecasts that are too ambitious
Students already graduate with huge debts. Rather than accepting yet more easy credit, they should do more paid work, says Paul Wiltshire
Amid a large number of competing priorities for the next government, focusing on skills and communities is probably the only way for institutions to secure the support they need, conference hears
Universities are crying out for consistency, something resembling certainty and a plan for the way forward, says Graham Galbraith
Government embraces domestic growth, needs-based funding and a commission to drive it all, but firm commitments remain limited
Latest proposal, unveiled on eve of federal budget, highlights revenue constraints facing universities and colleges
Universities’ financial get-out-of-jail card no longer works, as governments in Canberra and elsewhere turn their backs on foreign students
Public supports getting firms that hire graduates to foot higher education funding bill, says union research
Estimates suggest Russell Group’s Chinese fee income has quadrupled in recent years
Institutions where hundreds of roles are at risk will have to radically change the way they operate, staff warn, with big impact on students and the wider community
Wealth gap widens Down Under, with mercurial revenue increases monopolised by the few
The government should help universities diversify their source countries as it works towards a fix for domestic student funding, says Connor Horsfall
British Academy president Julia Black contrasts creation of funding-focused football regulator with inaction on higher education crisis
Number of institutions making redundancies passes 50, reflecting scale of financial challenge facing sector, but even some senior leaders fear rush into irreversible changes will do long-term harm
The humanities- and social sciences-focused institution is the canary in UK higher education’s increasingly explosive coalmine, says Sir Keith Burnett
Deputy prime minister to brief vice-chancellors on findings of review
Union fears scale of cost-cutting imperils local economy in region already facing economic challenges
After flat research funding drew complaints last year from universities, new plan warmly welcomed
Former government adviser says a modest cut in operating costs could allow for a doubling of the number of UK academics
Currency devaluation makes it harder for families to afford higher education, and for institutions to pay their staff
Hepi report on funding options, aimed at stopping politicians from ‘keeping shtum’, sees v-c back a graduate tax as ‘genuinely progressive’
A quarter of modern institutions looking to shed upwards of 50 roles, with agreements on teaching loads and promotion also under threat, UCU survey finds
US’ biggest charitable foundation, with focus on global health, abandons APCs in favour of preprint repositories
Karen Cox to step down next month as university grapples with projected ?30 million deficit
Student loan debt could be contributing to Japan’s declining birth rate, researchers find
Facing second year of faculty no-confidence vote, cardiothoracic surgeon agrees to leave as soon as successor is found
With 3,000 graduate students picketing for higher pay, Boston University dean encourages faculty to ‘think creatively’ about using technological alternatives
Thousands of employees of few remaining non-foundation institutions say earnings have been heavily eroded by inflation
New government announces evaluations of science and universities after scrapping predecessor’s efforts to do likewise
Author among lecturers at under-fire institution to oppose plans that union says are ‘unprecedented in scale, intensity and speed’
Holyrood government doubles down on fee-free policy despite warnings of underinvestment
Universities and particularly their students will not miss out in May, insiders predict
University says it intends to phase out teaching in areas also including art history and journalism, as UWE becomes latest institution to announce job cuts
Sutton Trust recommends reintroduction of maintenance grants, lifting of parental income threshold, and more progressive loan repayment system
University cites fall in returning students amid cost-of-living crisis for current year’s shortfall, while warning of sector funding crisis impact
Outgoing Oxford chancellor, ‘chairman of the Tory party when there was one’, advocates cross-party consensus on state investment, not higher fees
Institutions need more flexibility on whether to participate in mandatory government-run pensions scheme, Ucea and UUK argue
Tuition fees for foreign overseas in Japan are expected to rise above domestic ones for first time
Office for Students insists it has ‘no recommendations of directions of travel’ as it seeks views on distribution of ?1.5 billion annual budget
As pressure builds for the University of Idaho to reconsider buying the University of Phoenix, a similar previous deal a thousand miles to the south finds mounting scrutiny
Hepi report flags concerns over growth and quality of UK pre-degree programmes, but says across-the-board fee cut would be poor solution
Sector leaders express frustration as chancellor praises universities, but offers little additional money
Recommended reforms, such as abolishing the Job-Ready Graduates fee hikes for humanities, will gold-plate the Help system, says Maxwell Yong
Rectors call for budget increases and wage rises for staff or institutions will soon be unable to function
Universities UK chief executive says funding crisis facing English universities means it is not impossible that an institution will ‘shut its doors overnight’
